Grangenolvin refuse to yield and defeat Milltown to take league honours

Hanlon Concrete SFL Division 3 2024 final

Grangenolvin 2-15

Milltown 2-11

Grangenolvin prevailed in a real tug-of-war encounter with Milltown to clinch the 2024 Hanlon Concrete Ltd Senior Football League Division 3 title in Manguard Park on Saturday.

Goals late in the first and half second halves ensured Milltown remained very much a threat in this decider, but Grangenolvin had that ability to respond when they needed it most, and Oran Bergin’s goal in the closing stages helped see them over the line.

It was Grangenolvin who hit the ground running in this decider, Conall Bergin charging his way through from midfield right into the full-forward line from where he let fly to the net with just 20 seconds gone on the clock.

Oran Bergin tagged on a point soon after as Grange’ looked to take a hold of this game from the off.

Yet Milltown refused to panic and got off the mark eight minutes in when Ben Curran served up a nice point before Patrick Donohue doubled their tally when he converted a free two minutes later.

Darren O’Shea’s side continued to chip away at the deficit, with Conor Sheerin, Calum Murphy and Donohue firing over points to reduce their arrears to just one.

At the other end, Conall Bergin fisted over a score and Fionn Bergin served up two on the trot to re-establish Grangenolvin’s three-point cushion.

Yet, all of a sudden, that lead was completely wiped out when a high delivery in by Aaron Jacob appeared to be dropping just wide of the posts, but Joe Dunne refused to give up and managed to get a fist to the ball to direct it to the back of the net on 25 minutes. Grangenolvin, however, managed to quickly compose themselves after that setback and responded with a free from Fionn Bergin and a point from substitute, Tomas Cullen to head in at the break leading 1-7 to 1-5.

It remained tit-for-tat throughout much of the second half, but when Donohue managed to squeeze the ball in at the near post for Milltown on 47 minutes and Ben Heuston followed up with a point two minutes later, the two sides were deadlocked once again.

But, just as they had done when they shipped a goal before the half-time break, Grangenolvin quickly steadied themselves again and hit a goal and three points without response.

Tomas Cullen was among the point scorers for Grangenolvin down the stretch before, minutes later, squaring the ball into the path of Oran Bergin who duly punched home to effectively secure the Hanlon Concrete Senior Football League Division 3 honours.

GRANGENOLVIN: Conor McMahon, Keith Holligan, Lewis Gannon, Gavin Ivory, Lee Doyle (0-2), Cillian Bergin, Brian Cullen (0-1), Keith McGloin, Conall Bergin (1-2), Wayne Dooley, Nathan Doyle, James Gannon, Oran Bergin (1-3), Fionn Bergin (0-5), Dylan Costigan. Subs: Tomas Cullen (0-2) for Doyle (24 minutes), Timmy Doyle for Costigan (38 minuyes), Daniel Cullen for Gannon (55 minutes) and Ross Dooley for Ivory (61 minutes).

MILLTOWN: Omar Dunne, Jamie Cross, Cian Buckley, Karl Downey, Liam Kelly, Colin O’Shea, Aaron Jacob, Conor Sheerin (0-2), Joe Dunne (1-0), Karl Heuston, Calum Murphy (0-1), Ben Curran (0-1), Ben Heuston (0-3), Patrick Donohue (1-4), Shane Daly. Subs: David Walsh for Jacob (52 mins), Dylan Casey for Downey (56 mins) and Sam O’Hara for Heuston (59 minutes).

REFEREE: Owen Murphy.